LAHORE: Lt Gen (r) Syed Arif Hasan HI (M), President of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), and the entire Olympic Family of Pakistan have congratulated Imran Khan on successfully leading his party in the general elections of 2018 and securing the mandate of the people. “We congratulate him personally for his becoming the Prime Minister when he is needed most to take the country on a path of peace and prosperity. We are very supportive of his vision of youth development, poverty alleviation, equal opportunities for all etc. and assure him of our total support,” said a media release of the National Olympic Committee Pakistan on Friday. “Sports, as he well knows, can act as catalyst for all that he desires to achieve. It can encourage the 25 million children that he spoke of, to get back into school. It can assist him in achieving the inclusiveness in society that he desires. It can create job opportunities for the 8 percent unemployed youth whom he yearns to help. In short, sports can be his force multiplier. We assure him of the total support of the sports fraternity and hope that this sector is utilised to help him in the achievement and fulfillment of his vision of a “Naya Pakistan”, added the release. Published in Daily Times, July 28th 2018.